Customer control means for self-serving stores



y 29, 1930- R. A. STEVENSON v1377L659 CUSTOMER CONTROL MEANS FOR SELF SERVING STORES Filed fan. 9, 1928 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 29, 1930. R. A. STEVENSON CUSTOMER CONTROL MEANS FOR SELF SERVING STORES Filed Jan. 9, 192a- ZSheet-Sheet z Patented July 29, 1930 UNITED STATES ROBERT A. STEVENSON, OF LANCASTER, OHIO CUSTOMER CONTROL MEANS FOR SELF-SERVING STORES Application filed January 9, 1928. Serial No. 245,447.

This invention relates to self-serving store fixtures and more particularly to control means for guiding and controlling the movement of customers to or from the merchan- 5 disc offered for sale.

' One object of this invention is to provide such control means which may be easily adjusted and rearranged whenever desired in order to suit changes in the arrangement of 10 the store and'to make it possible to form a great many different store layouts suitable for self-service operation.

A further object is to provide novel means for causing the gate portion to swing and come to rest in any of a number of predetermined positions.

Further objects and advantages and seen in the following description and shown in the accompanying drawings in which like but Figure 1 is a perspective view of the control means attached to a store fixture.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of same.

Figure 3 is a detail top view showing the spring and hinge arrangement for one of the gates.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a storeroom showing the control means attached to a store fixture, the dotted lines indicatmg afew 'of the many arrangements which are posslble by adjusting the control means.

Figure 5 is a detail view in perspective showing the means used for connecting the adjustable wing portion to a stationary bject, in this case, the store fixture shown.

' The numeral 2 designates a store fixture to which the control means are shown attached for purposes of illustration. The control 40 means consists of wing portions 3 and 4 to which are attached gates and 6 respectively. A seat 7 is provided on one side of the wing portion 3 and a basket rack 8 is provided in connection with the wing portion 4.

A pair of ring pieces 10 are provided near the top and bottom of each end ofboth wing portions; at the top and bottom of one end of both gates; and, to a stationary fixture or wall to which one end of each wing portion 0 is to be attached. Rods 11 are inserted through the holes in the ring pieces where numerals refer to like parts and in which' that the gates will swing freely above the At the top of each of the gates 5 and 6 and above the ring pieces is attached a circular plate 12 provided with a hole 13 in the center through which the rod 11 is passed when inserting it through the ring pieces. Arranged around in a semicircle at equal distances from the hole 13 is a series of holes .necting the parts together and for providing hinges it is possible to attach the wing portions to different corners of a store fixture or to a wall and to be able to change the position and angles of the gates and the wing portions very easily and it also makes the parts quickly interchangeable at any time.

In using this control means it is intended that the wing portion provided with the basket rack be placed in such a position that customers may pass near it and use thegate attached to it when entering the store and use the gate attached to the other wing portion when leaving the store. It is seen that 95 this means for controlling the movement of customers in a self-serving store may be easily rearranged and adjusted from time to time as changes are desired in the store layout to take care of new conditions in the 100 store, and that these parts can be used in forming new store layouts easily and with practically no expense.

While in the drawings I have shown this control means attached at opposite ends of a store fixture I do not limit myself to this particular arrangement or position for the parts as it is obvious that they are adaptable to a great many other positions and uses in a self-serving store besides those shown.

What I claim is as follows 1. A device for controlling the movement of customers in a self-service store, said device consisting of a wing portion, means for pivotally and detachably connecting one end of said wing to suitable stationary means in such a manner that the wing may be angularly adjusted in a horizontal plane with said wing resting upon the floor of the store so that the wing will remain in the selected angularly adjusted position, a gate pivotally connected with the other end of said wing to swing horizontally and spaced from the floor to be out of engagement therewith, and yielding means to oppose the swinging movement of the gate to hold the same in a selected position with relation to the wing portion, said yielding means being adjustable so that the gate may be held in the normal position at selected angular positions with relation to the wing portion.

2. vCustomer control means for self-serving stores consisting of two wing portions resting upon the floor of the store and adapted for angular adjustment in a horizontal plane, gates pivotally connected with said wing portions to swing horizontally and spaced from the floor to be out of engagement therewith, and yielding means to oppose the swinging movement of the gates to hold the same in a selected position with relation to the wing portions, said yielding means being adjustable so that the gates may be held in the normal position at selected angular positions with relation to the wing portions.

3. Customer control means for self-serving store-s consisting of two wing portions resting upon the floor of the store and adapted for angular adjustment in a horizontal plane, gates pivotally connected with said wing portions to swing horizontally and spaced from the floor to be out of engagement therewith, yielding means to oppose the swinging movement of the gates to hold the same in a selected position with relation to the wing portions, and a basket rack combined with one of said Wing portions.

ROBERT A. STEVENSON. 

